Improvement in machinery for turning logs on saw-mill carriages



I ,I UNITED STATES E PATENT Ottica.

WILLIAM L. OLIVER AND AMASA J. HANCOCK, OF INDIANAPOLIS, IND.

IMPROVEMENT IN MACHINERY FOR TURNING LOGS 0N SAW-MILL CARRIAGES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 38,756, dated June 2, 1863.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that we, WILLIAM L. OLrvER and AMAsA J. HANCOCK, of Indianapolis, Marion county, and State o f Indiana, have invented a new and useful Device for Turning Logs on Saw-Mill Carriages; and we do hereby declare that the following is a full and exact description thereof', reference being had vto the annexed drawings, making part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view of that part of an ordinary saw-mill carriage upon which the head-blocks and log are plaeed,.and showing our device for turning the log. Fig. 2 is a side view of that part of the device for raising the log, showing more in detail the arrangement of the several parts. Figs. 3 and 4 show the two faces of the block L, Fig. 1, which is spiked to the ends of the log to support the scribe it.

A is a movable cross-timber or additional head-block, to be placed near to and outside of the ordinaryhead-blocks of saw-mill carriages. To this cross-timber are attached the crankwheel B, pinions O and D, ratchet e, and pawl f, cog-Wheel G, and arrow H, by means of which the log is raised. The crankwhee1 B is xed upon a shaft or journal, which is supported in suitable boxes or bearings. This shaft has also xed upon it a pinion, C, and ratchet e. rEhe pinion O meshes into the large cog-wheel G, which is xed upon a shaft or journal supported in suitable boxes or bearings. A pinion, D, is fixed upon the same shaft with the large cog-wheel G, which meshes in cogs on the edge of the arrow H. The arrow H works in a vertical guide, i. The crosstimber is held securely in its proper position, while raising and turning the log, by the hook P, which passes through a mortise in the crosstimber A, the hook catching under the bottom of the carriage, while a key, I, is driven through the slot in the upper end of the hook, which holds the crosstimber rmly to the carriage or, if preferred, an eccentric-lever may be used v instead of the key, as shown at K, Fig. 1. An iron block, L, is shown spiked to the end of the log in Fig. 1, and more fully in Figs. 3 and 4. This block is provided with four holes near its corners, through which hooked spikes are driven into the end of the log to securely fasten it, a beveled hole, s, in its center, through which the hooked center pin, m, is driven into the log, and also holes n in its sides, into which the lever o is inserted for the purpose of ro tating the log. The center hole, s, is beveled so as to make it larger on the face of the block next to the log, so that when the log is not sawed square across its end or at right angles to its center the center pins, m, may still be driven truly into the log. The center pins, m, form journals upon which the log is to be rotated, and rest in notches in the upper end of the arrows H. rEhe upper ends of the arrows are elongated toward the saw side of the carriage, for the purpose of adapting them to small logs; also, the mortise in the cross-timber A, through which the hook P passes, is made long, so that the cross-timber or additional head-block can be moved endwise for the purpose of adapting it to large and small logs.

For small logs, and especially when of hard wood, it is not always necessary to spike the iron blocks L to the end of the log, as the center pins, m, will be sufficient to support the weight of the log; but for large and softwooded logs the blocksL will be found of great utility, as they support-the center pins, m, and thus save the necessity for driving them far into the log, as well as preventing them from beiugmashed into the ber of the log by its Weight. v

The device is opera-ted as follows After the log is rolled onto the carriage, the blocks L are spiked to the ends of the log, having their center holes, s, as near the center of the log as practicable. The center pins, m, are then driven into the log, which is then rolled so that the center pins will rest in the notches in the head of the arrows H, as shown in Fig. 1. The operator then turns the crank-wheel B, which, through the pinion C, cog-wheel G, and pinion D, will raise the arrows H, and thus raise the log, when it may be turned with ease any side to the saw that is desired. The crank-Wheel is then reversed, which lowers the log onto the head-blocks, Where it is secured in the ordinary way. The saw is then run through the log and a slab taken off. The log is then again raised, as before described, and turned in the prop er position for taking off another slab, and so on until the log is squared or putin proper condition for being sawed into lumber. The ratchet e on the shaft of the cranlmvheel and pawl f prevent the crank-Wheel from turning backward While the Weight of the log is upon the arrows.

The use of this device for turning logs on saw-mill carriages will not only prevent the carriage-Way from being broken down and otherwise injured, as is the case with the ordinary way of turning logs, but will also be a saving of labor and lessen the number of hands required to operate the mill.

Having thus fully described the construction and operation of our invention, what we claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is`

The movable elevators H, constructed and operated substantially as described, and in combination with the additional head-blocks A and the center blocks, L, for the purpose of facilitating the turning and raising of the log, in the manner described.

WILLIAM L. OLVER. AMASA J. HANCOCK.

Witnesses:

O. F. MAYHEW, HARRY F. KEGER. 

